Is that seriously still a thing?

Sep. 3, 2015, 11:51 PM

Years ago we asked the ModernVespa forum admin to stop attacking scooterists who praised our Lambretta and Vespa parts there, the parts we actually make, and to stop making up stories about our company and parts even though no knowledge of them. The usual line of attack started with how we were secretly posting every compliment, then onto the typical silly comments about an Asian sweatshop with chickens running around. Then often lock a thread so no one else can reply and confirm that's crazy because they actually use the part in question as well. We said just let everyone post freely, positive or negative, so that rational debate can help everyone determine over time what's actually good or not. Wild concept called, uhhh, "free speech".

Well, turned out the admin there was just a wee bit sensitive - Jess? Jesse? something - and not much of a fan of fee speech, or even honest speech as it turned out :) Instead of the natural "Cool, that sounds great!" response you would get from most any forum, he completely banned our name there and replaced it with "redacted", then lied and told everyone we had threatened to sue him in order to stifle debate, which was quite rich given it was the exact opposite, especailly after he claimed that and we even offered to send him a document guaranteeing he would never be held responsible for anyone else's comments as long as he let people post freely. But, damn it! even if it means subverting debate, no one was going to tell him to be reasonable! Or honest about it! :))) (It's funny seeing on there people explaining that the "redacted" thing is because we wanted to sue him when it was exactly the opposite. Doesn't anyone ever ask for proof anymore?)

Anyway, we just saw a post come up by chance in a search and see that that's still a thing with our name too. Wow. And seems a number of other companies are also now "redacted". How bizarre that those in charge of promoting debate in general are the lead advocates of censorship if "their" debate doesn't have the results they want? "You're not supposed to buy scooter parts in Vietnam and actually find that they are good, and half the price of those imported by forum sponsors! And then dare to tell your friends!" Sacrilege :)